At a Glance
The townships, villages, cities, counties, and park districts of the Chagrin River watershed now have another tool–floodplain restoration–to use in managing stormwater.
Project Description
The Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. (CRWP) is a non-profit organization formed by local governments within the Chagrin River watershed in response to increasing concerns about flooding, erosion, and water quality problems.
In 2004, CRWP developed a Comprehensive Storm Water Management Model Ordinance. The model, which serves as a template for townships, villages, communities and park districts to use in addressing water quality and quantity controls, allows for the use of floodplain restoration as an alternative stormwater management practice.
While the production of the model was indeed a positive step, many local design and review engineers were not experienced in using floodplain restoration for stormwater management. They needed guidance on how to site, plan, design, permit, and maintain floodplain restoration amidst development while also complying with stormwater regulations.
In an effort to address this need, Biohabitats worked with CRWP to further define the stormwater management benefits of floodplain restoration and provide instructions for incorporating it into stormwater planning for a development site. In addition to outlining guidance related to applicability, planning, design, permitting, and maintenance considerations, Biohabitats illustrated how floodplain restoration can be incorporated into a planned development by applying the concept to a hypothetical subdivision.